MUSCAT, JAN 10
Bahrain came back to post their second straight win in the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup with a 2-1 result against Qatar at the Al Minaa Olympic Stadium in Iraq on Tuesday night.
The win enabled the defending champions to top Group B with six points, while Qatar are second on three points.
Abdulla Yusuf Helal netted the winner from a penalty in the 89th minute.
Helal’s cool finish sent the ball to the bottom right corner of the net past Qatar keeper Meshaal Barsham.
The penalty was awarded after a VAR check over a hand ball in the penalty area by Mohammed Waad, who was booked with a yellow card.
Bahrain goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfallah got a yellow card towards the final moments of the match.
Waad had netted an own-goal before in the 72nd minute as it turned out to be a bad day for the Qatari midfielder.
Bahrain, who were trailing a first-half goal, found the equaliser with the goal, which came after a corner conceded by Tameem Mansour.
In 71st minute, Mohamed Adel of Bahrain sent his shot from the centre of the box too high after a good cross by Kamil al Aswad.
Qatar’s Mohammed Waad tried a through ball, but Ahmed Alaa was caught offside in the 69th minute.
Bahrain made a triple change in the 60th minute.
Ahmed Al Sherooqi replaced Abdulla al Khalasi, Kamil al Aswad came in for Mahdi Ali and Sayed Dhiya substituted Ali Madan.
In the 58th minute, the Bahrain keeper saved a shot from Tameem Mansour at the bottom left corner.
Ahmed Alaadin struck for Qatar in the 34th minute with a brilliant header off a corner from Mohammed Waad.
Alaadin’s header from the left side of the six-yard box screamed past Bahrain goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfallah to the top left corner of the net.
Four minutes later, Bahrain missed a chance when Mohamed Marhoon could not direct his left-footed shot towards the target after a nice cross from Abdulla Yusuf Helal.
Qatar missed an attempt closely in the 27th minute. Amro Abdelfatah Ali Surag’s right-footed shot from the left side of the box missed to the right after a pass from Ahmed Alaa.
In the 14th minute, Bahrain’s Abdulla Yusuf Helal hit the left post with a right-footed shot from the left side of the six-yard box.
Bahrain made a valid attempt in the seventh minute. Qatar goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham saved the shot at the bottom left corner after a nice shot from Mohammed Marhoon outside the box.
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